Brown, Weller back home

WHILE their club's had contrasting fortunes, Maverick Weller and Ben Brown spent round 16 putting in strong personal tune-ups for a return to their home state this weekend.

Ben Brown, who started his senior football career at Devonport, played the best game of his short AFL life in North Melbourne's upset win over Hawthorn. The match was also the most quiet outing of the season for Hawthorn running defender Grant Birchall, also from Devonport. Picture: Getty Images

WHILE their club's had contrasting fortunes, Maverick Weller and Ben Brown spent round 16 putting in strong personal tune-ups for a return to their home state this weekend.

Burnie's Weller continued his transformation into a reliable tagging option in the midfield, adding the scalp of Bryce Gibbs to his collection in the Saints' big loss to Carlton.

Gibbs collected just 14 possessions (10 of those uncontested) and four score involvements.

Weller conversely had a season- high 22 possessions at 64 per cent disposal efficiency, applied 16 pressure acts and had three score involvements.

Weller has also had run-with roles on Shaun Burgoyne, Scott Pendlebury (before being knocked out by Steele Sidebottom), Gary Ablett and Joel Selwood, the latter two particularly impressive.

Meanwhile, Brown, who started his senior football career at Devonport, played the best game of his short AFL life in North Melbourne's upset win over Hawthorn.

Brown will play his first game in his home state when North Melbourne hosts St Kilda at Bellerive Oval on Saturday, while Weller will play his second after suiting up for Gold Coast at Aurora Stadium in 2011.

Adding some energy to the Roos front-half, the mature-age ruckman- forward, kicking 2.1 on Matt Spangher, from his 13 possessions and four marks.

He also laid three tackles and had seven score involvements.

The other Tasmanians on North and St Kilda's lists (Nathan Grima, Eli Templeton and Jimmy Webster) will all be absent in Hobart due to injury.

Friday night's match was also noteworthy for Grant Birchall's most quiet outing for the season.

The Hawthorn running defender from Devonport had just 11 disposals (with one rebound 50 and two inside 50s), failed to take a mark and was never really a factor in the contest.

Hobart's Aaron Hall returned to the Gold Coast line-up for the win over Collingwood and was dangerous across half-forward, kicking 1.2 and having seven scoring involvements from 11 touches, three marks and four tackles.

Launceston duo Jesse Lonergan and Kade Kolodjashnij also had an impact, with Lonergan collecting 13 disposals at 84.6 efficiency and Kolodjashnij 19 at 78.9 per cent efficiency and three score involvements.

Tim Mohr, also originally from Launceston, continued his fine season by shutting Taylor Walker out of the contest as the Giants crashed to Adelaide.

The Tasmanian had 12 disposals and even drifted forward to kick 0.1, the same scoreboard contribution that Walker had.

Wynyard's Colin Garland had just nine possessions in Melbourne's loss to Fremantle in Alice Springs, playing on Hayden Ballantyne, who kicked 3.1, while Dodges Ferry's Jeremy Howe had 15 touches and took four marks.